Carrie Bican, LMFT

How therapy approaches translate to online care

Existential therapy focuses on questions of meaning, choice, and purpose. In sessions people talk about what matters to them, how life changes feel, and what choices feel possible. This approach can help when someone feels stuck, hopeless, or uncertain about their next steps. Attachment-based therapy looks at how early relationships shape current ways of relating and managing emotions. The work aims to notice patterns in closeness and distance and to practice new ways of connecting and communicating. It can be useful for relationship stress, insecurity, and trust issues. Finding the right approach is a shared process. The therapist will work collaboratively to match methods to a person’s goals and preferences, mixing techniques as needed. That means sessions may include reflective conversation, skill-building, behavioral experiments, or mindfulness exercises based on what proves most helpful. Online formats offer flexibility for different needs. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation and deeper emotional work. Phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is limited or to fit a short check-in during a break. Live chat and text-based messaging suit brief updates, skill reminders, or when sending notes after a session is useful. Together these options make it easier to keep therapy consistent amid a busy life.